To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on Stephanie Hart, co-founder and co-CEO of Hart Print, for her insight on being a female disruptor in digital can printing.

Stephanie Hart didn’t start her career in cans—or anywhere close to that industry. A combination of entrepreneurial spirit, vision and an unshakable idea eventually got her here. “I just said, ‘I can't believe there isn't a way to digitally print on a can in all batches, big or small.’”

From that moment of curiosity, Hart Print was born in 2018, disrupting the beverage packaging industry and proving that innovation has no limits. “It's not every day that you get to be the first to do something,” she reflects. “I certainly didn't do it alone. I’m surrounded by really, really wonderful people. But being first to market, being a disruptor, being able to start a company, being able to employ upwards of 190 people across three sites, across two countries, building a culture has just been epic.”

Stephanie’s journey to entrepreneurship was shaped by the opportunities and mentorship she received earlier in her career. "I was privileged to work for a company that really embraced who I was, who really saw who I am, and gave me a ton of opportunities," she shares. She credits two of her bosses—both remarkable women—as key mentors who encouraged her to reach her full potential. 

“Being a woman was never a deterrent, it was fully embraced. Whether that's moving up the ranks in a company, whether that's starting a company, whether that's starting a company and starting a family, these are all things that I just do. Instead of looking at what the barriers might be, I walk right through them, and that in itself is super contagious.”

Now, as co-founder and co-CEO of Hart Print, Stephanie is creating that same environment of opportunity and inclusivity. Women play a key part in growing the company as a team, whether they’re in leadership roles, supportive roles or rocking the production floor.

Stephanie’s philosophy is simple: don’t focus on the why—focus on the why not. “Ultimately, I think we end up being our own worst enemy, thinking we can’t when we can.”

She adds that success isn’t just about innovation; it’s about fostering a culture of respect and kindness. "Sometimes there's this thought that to be successful and competitive, you can't be kind. But I think that's something we practice every day here at Hart Print, and it is one of our core values. Without even having to call it out, it comes so naturally to who we are. We embrace differences because we feel like differences make us stronger.”

And with that mindset, Stephanie Hart continues to push boundaries, redefine industries, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to walk right through barriers—because why not?

About Hart Print

Based in Montreal, Canada, Hart Print was founded in 2018 by Stephanie Hart, JP Paradis and Alexander Anishin, three MBA graduates with a mission to provide flexible high-quality digital printing service to customers on aluminum cans. Creativity, brand visibility, speed and sustainability are at the core of what we do. Customers can benefit from unlimited colors and just-in-time delivery, all with 100 percent recyclable material and no minimum order quantities. Hart Print’s range of services include short production runs, design support, logistics and consulting. At Hart Print we’re all about supporting different styles and tastes, with our motto “if you can we can”.